Topic 32 of 53: rumi
Wed, Nov 11, 1998 (08:42) |
Paul Terry Walhus (terry)
a place for Rumi Lovers to meet, and for others in the sacred
community of Lovers to meet Rumi.
To begin a quote, and a question.
Quote: Come, Come Yet Again, Come
Wanderer, Worshiper, Lover of Leaving
Ours is not a caravan of despair
Come, even if you have broken your vow a thousand times
Come, Come Yet Again, Come
My friend Kirsten recently had a rumi festival at her place in the
country.
37 responses total.
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 1 of 37: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Nov 11, 1998 (08:43) * 6 lines
Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi (1207 -1273) is one of the world's greatest
mystic poets. While a Sufi (and FOUNDER of the Mevlevi order of
Sufi Dervishes, imaged in the West as "whirling dervishes") he was
renowned and respected among people of all faiths. His path is
one of Loving, Devotion, Longing and Union.
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 2 of 37: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Nov 11, 1998 (08:43) * 10 lines
The way of love is not
a subtle argument.
The door there is devastation.
Birds make great sky-circles of their freedom.
How do they learn it?
They fall, and falling, they're given wings.
--Rumi, from "Birdsong", p. 13
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 3 of 37: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Nov 11, 1998 (08:45) * 36 lines
It appears that most of the selections being proffered here
are from the recent Harper San Francisco publication of THE
ESSENTIAL RUMI, translated by Coleman Barks with John Moyne (ISBN
0-06-250958-6; hardcopy; $18), the first definitive one-volume
collection of the enduring popular spiritual poetry by this
extraordinary thirteenth-century Sufi mystic.
Until the age of thirty-seven, Jalaluddin Rumi (1207-1273) was
a brilliant scholar and popular teacher, but his life changed
forever when he met the powerful wandering dervish, Shams of Tabriz
-- of whom Rumi said, "What I had thought of before as God, I met
today in a human being." From this mysterious and ecstatic
friendship came a new plateau of spiritual enlightment
-- an encounter with the inner Friend, the soul, the Beloved. Rumi
expressed this potent experience through an enormous outpouring of
spectacular ecstatic poetry.
Translator Coleman Barks has published several books of Rumi's
writings over the past twelve years. He teaches poetry at the
University of Georgia and lives in Athens, Georgia.
But just for the sake of variety, I thought I'd offer Rumi's
"The Name" translated by Robert Bly for his anthology NEWS OF THE
UNIVERSE: POEMS OF TWOFOLD CONSCIOUSNESS (1980:268):
You should try to hear the name the Holy One has for things.
There is something in the phrase: "The Holy One has taught
him names."
We name every thing according to the number of legs it has;
the other one names it according to what it has inside.
Moses waved his stick; he thought it was a "rod,"
but inside its name was "dragonish snake."
We thought the name of Blake was "agitator against priests,"
but in eternity his name is "the one who believes."
No one knows our name until our last breath goes out.
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 4 of 37: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Nov 11, 1998 (08:47) * 34 lines
Whoever is loved is beautiful and
the converse not necessarily true
Lovableness is the root principle
from which beauty grew.
'There are girls more beautiful than Layla',
they told Majnoon
'But I don't love Layla for her form'
responded Majnoon
'Layla in my hand is like a cup
'It is the wine within I am in love with
'You have eyes for the beaker,
'Of the wine within you are unaware',
said Majnoon
'A golden goblet studded with precious stones
Containing vinegar
'Or something else other than wine
Would be of no use to me
'An old broken gourd of wine
Is superior to such a golden goblet
And hundreds like it,
said Majnoon
For a man to tell the wine from the beaker
He must be moved with passion and yearning
Take two men, one hungry the other full
The man suffering from hunger
Perceives a living nourishing soul in a piece of bread
The man full of food merely conceives the shape of the bread.
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 5 of 37: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Nov 11, 1998 (08:48) * 10 lines
a new documentary being screened at the KPFA Holiday Crafts Fair, S.F.
Concourse Exhibition Center:
Sunday, Dec. 13
noon: Rumi: Poet of the Heart (56m) - A luminous portrait of the
astonishing 13th century Sufi mystic and poet, with Coleman Barks, Robert
Bly, Simone Fattal, Hamza el Din, Jai Uttal, and others. Narrated by Debra
Winger. Directed by Haydn Reiss - 30 min discussion following, with the
filmmaker
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 6 of 37: Stacey Vura (stacey) * Thu, Nov 12, 1998 (10:07) * 1 lines
more, more, more!
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 7 of 37: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Nov 12, 1998 (12:02) * 49 lines
here's another good one:
The Question:
One dervish to another, What was your vision of God's presence?
I haven't seen anything.
But for the sake of conversation, I'll tell you a story.
God's presence is there in front of me, a fire on the left,
a lovely stream on the right.
One group walks toward the fire, into the fire, another
toward the sweet flowing water.
No one knows which are blessed and which not.
Whoever walks into the fire appears suddenly in the stream.
A head goes under on the water surface, that head
pokes out of the fire.
Most people guard against going into the fire,
and so end up in it.
Those who love the water of pleasure and make it their devotion
are cheated with this reversal.
The trickery goes further.
The voice of the fire tells the truth, saying I am not fire.
I am fountainhead. Come into me and don't mind the sparks.
If you are a friend of God, fire is your water.
You should wish to have a hundred thousand sets of mothwings,
so you could burn them away, one set a night.
The moth sees light and goes into fire. You should see fire
and go toward light. Fire is what of God is world-consuming.
Water, world-protecting.
Somehow each gives the appearance of the other. To these eyes
you have now
what looks like water burns. What looks like
fire is a great relief to be inside.
You've seen a magician make a bowl of rice
seem a dish full of tiny, live worms.
Before an assembly with one breath he made the floor swarm
with scorpions that weren't there.
How much more amazing God's tricks.
Generation after generation lies down, defeated, they think,
but they're like a woman underneath a man, circling him.
One molecule-mote-second thinking of God's reversal of comfort
and pain
is better than any attending ritual. That splinter
of intelligence is substance.
The fire and water themselves:
Accidental, done with mirrors.
Rumi
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 8 of 37: Moon Dreams (Moon) * Thu, Nov 12, 1998 (13:14) * 2 lines
Terry, I could not believe my eyes when I read your Rumi Topic, I am such a big fan of Rumi!!! Persian poetry is wonderful and so wise!
Don't you just love Mula Nasrudin's tales?
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 9 of 37: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Nov 12, 1998 (20:42) * 2 lines
I love them.
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 10 of 37: Tim Guenther (TIM) * Sun, Nov 15, 1998 (12:17) * 1 lines
Fascinating. All I know about dervishes is that the practice of their religion was banned for a long time and only recently allowed again.
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 11 of 37: wer (KitchenManager) * Fri, May 21, 1999 (15:06) * 3 lines
I'd like to second Stacey's response in #6,
"more, more, more!"
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 12 of 37: Moon Dreams (Moon) * Fri, May 21, 1999 (19:53) * 10 lines
It is hard for me to see Rumi and not participate.
Even though you tie a hundred knots--the string remains one. (Rumi)
Love, Love alone can kill what seemed dead,
The frozen snake of passion. Love alone
By tearful prayers and fiery longing fed,
Reveals a knowledge schools have never known. (Rumi)
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 13 of 37: Wolf (wolf) * Fri, May 21, 1999 (21:15) * 1 lines
thank you for that piece, moon dreams! please come back again and again....
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 14 of 37: Alexander Schuth (aschuth) * Sat, May 22, 1999 (16:47) * 4 lines
In the windows of the ICE
Reflections of my town.
Somewhere else
Something has happened.
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 15 of 37: Wolf (wolf) * Sat, May 22, 1999 (17:10) * 1 lines
alex, you rumi?
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 16 of 37: Alexander Schuth (aschuth) * Sat, May 29, 1999 (06:03) * 1 lines
Me Alexander.
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 17 of 37: Wolf (wolf) * Sat, May 29, 1999 (11:01) * 1 lines
*grin*
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 18 of 37: Alexander Schuth (aschuth) * Sat, May 29, 1999 (12:56) * 1 lines
*smirk*
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 19 of 37: wer (KitchenManager) * Sun, May 30, 1999 (14:00) * 1 lines
I thought that the 'splain Alexander topic was in screwed...
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 20 of 37: Alexander Schuth (aschuth) * Mon, May 31, 1999 (04:08) * 3 lines
(Oh my, Wolf, help me! Wer's onto my case these days!)
Yo, Wonderboy, since we got that job we've gotten mighty cheeky! Well, suits me fine, to be honest... Rather see us two shadowfencing than you shredding your nerves...
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 21 of 37: Marcia (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 12, 2000 (20:12) * 2 lines
Rumi is incredible. I had never heard of him until I posted Moon Dreams' condolences to Terry...and asked her what a Rumi was. She told me and I came here to find out more. Incredible! I am off on a journey to heal my soul...
Thanks, Moon!
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 22 of 37: nan (moonbeam) * Mon, May 8, 2000 (13:02) * 13 lines
Are you looking for me? I am in the next seat.
My shoulder is against yours.
you will not find me in the stupas, not in Indian shrine
rooms, nor in synagogues, nor in cathedrals:
not in masses, nor kirtans, not in legs winding
around your own neck, nor ineating nothing but
vegetables.
When you really look for me, you will see me
instantly --
you will find me in the tiniest house of time.
Kabir says: Student, tell me, what is God?
He is the breath inside the breath.
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 23 of 37: Marcia (MarciaH) * Mon, May 8, 2000 (13:21) * 1 lines
That is wonderful for this morning fraught with concern and loss. Thanks, Nan. We need to know that and to be reminded every so often. *hugs* How are you doing?
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 24 of 37: nan (moonbeam) * Mon, May 8, 2000 (15:22) * 3 lines
I'm better than yesterday, thanks, Marcia. The sun came out briefly this morning; now it's raining again. This high desert's nearly as lush as a rainforest after our wet weekend -- I'll need to get some goats in to graze my backyard before I can push a lawnmower through it.
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 25 of 37: Marcia (MarciaH) * Mon, May 8, 2000 (15:32) * 3 lines
Watch out for the tigers in that tall grass! I have been noticing you have been having some really wet weather!
Days will be up and down - I miss my Dad, and he died nearly 15 years ago...
*hugs*
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 26 of 37: Marcia (MarciaH) * Mon, May 8, 2000 (15:34) * 1 lines
Get sheep...they smell less terrible and do a nicer job on your lawn. Goats will eat the grass roots and all! Besides, Wool sweaters are nice *grin*
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 27 of 37: nan (moonbeam) * Mon, May 8, 2000 (16:06) * 1 lines
Really? I married into a cattle ranching family that considered sheep "range maggots" -- but gave goats an OK. Guess they liked cheese more than wool? ;)
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 28 of 37: Marcia (MarciaH) * Mon, May 8, 2000 (16:54) * 1 lines
Oh... Yes, I've heard about the problems, and OKLAHOMA! (the musical) addressed the subject, too. Cheese will keep your insides alive as you freeze to death for lack of sweaters. (I've had goat jerkey from feral goats here - not great!
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 29 of 37: nan (moonbeam) * Mon, May 8, 2000 (18:31) * 1 lines
Oh, good points. ;) Not to mention the goats would prolly eat my picnic table.
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 30 of 37: Marcia (MarciaH) * Mon, May 8, 2000 (18:49) * 1 lines
...and eat your flowers and anything you might like to line-dry or air fluff not on the power grid... They are the ultimate browsers - anything is edible and ALL of whatever it is. They have been responsible for more than a little damage to native plants and the disappearance of some entirely due to their voracious and all-inclusive appetites. They are NOT my friend!
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 31 of 37: Moon Dreams (Moon) * Mon, May 8, 2000 (20:22) * 1 lines
Rumi... where are you? ;-) Mula Nasrudin are you following this?
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 32 of 37: nan (moonbeam) * Tue, May 9, 2000 (01:38) * 28 lines
On the Deathbed
Go, rest your head on a pillow, leave me alone;
leave me ruined, exhausted from the journey of this night,
writhing in a wave of passion till the dawn.
Either stay and be forgiving,
or, if you like, be cruel and leave.
Flee from me, away from trouble;
take the path of safety, far from this danger.
We have crept into this corner of grief,
turning the water wheel with a flow of tears.
While a tyrant with a heart of flint slays,
and no one says, "Prepare to pay the blood money."
Faith in the king comes easily in lovely times,
but be faithful now and endure, pale lover.
No cure exists for this pain but to die,
So why should I say, "Cure this pain"?
In a dream last night I saw
an ancient one in the garden of love,
beckoning with his hand, saying, "Come here."
On this path, Love is the emerald,
the beautiful green that wards off dragonsnough, I am losing myself.
If you are a man of learning,
read something classic,
a history of the human struggle
and don't settle for mediocre verse.
Kulliyat-i-Shams 2039
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 33 of 37: Marcia (MarciaH) * Wed, May 10, 2000 (23:18) * 1 lines
* s i g h *
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 34 of 37: Poetic Person of Power (wolf) * Sat, Aug 19, 2000 (19:49) * 21 lines
Rumi Festival 2000.
September 27- October 1
Chapel Hill, NC.
A celebration of Love, Peace and Harmony expressed through Music, Poetry and
Dance honoring the birth of the great mystic poet
Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi.
This year we celebrate women as spiritual teachers.
Come and spend 5 wonderful days with incredible sheiks and sheikas from
around the world all gathered at Camp New Hope, near Chapel Hill, NC.
There will be evening performances by Mercan Dede, Latif Bolat , Amir
Koushkani and Thomas Raincrow and the Boat Rockers to name a few.
For detailed information please go to our web site
www.Rumifest.org
or call Demir Williford 919-929-2744, 919-274-0433.
(thanks for sending this info to me, marcia, sorry it took so long to post it)
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 35 of 37: Marcia (MarciaH) * Sun, Aug 20, 2000 (14:24) * 1 lines
Rumi suddenly has gotten to be a hot topic. He was even the subject of a Jeopardy question the other night!
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 36 of 37: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Mar 21, 2002 (14:05) * 3 lines
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase each other doesn't make any sense."
Rumi's "field"
Topic 32 of 53 [poetry]: rumi
Response 37 of 37: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Mar 21, 2002 (14:05) * 16 lines
The Way of Love
The way of love is not
a subtle argument.
The door there
is devastation.
Birds make great sky-circles
of their freedom.
How do they learn it?
They fall, and falling,
they're given wings.
- Rumi
poetry conference 
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